Page 29

This was the first time the two of them had shed all their packaging and stood onstage before the audience as pure street dancers. Tang Shi and Lu Hengzhi's solid foundations and dazzling skills drew wave after wave of screams from the audience and even the judges. Though no one had said it outright before, Sugar Juice Duo's dances incorporated too many different elements, with comparatively little that truly belonged to street dance—especially high-difficulty moves. This had led everyone to believe that while Sugar Juice Duo's dancing looked great, their actual fundamentals might not measure up to the other contestants.

Even Sugar Juice Duo themselves had thought so.

But they had forgotten one thing: both of them had started learning dance at the age of six, and by now they had trained for ten years. Lu Hengzhi had not only studied street dance, but also Peking Opera martial roles, which demanded an even more solid foundation. Combined, the effect was far more than one plus one equaling two... Tang Shi's foundation might not have been as firm as Lu Hengzhi's, but he had somehow gained an extra ten years of experience. That breadth of knowledge and effortless ease were not something the narrow-minded contestants of today could compare with.

And today was Sugar Juice Duo's explosion after enduring so much humiliation and doubt. Their furious determination to prove themselves happened to fit the fiery decisiveness street dancing required. That all-or-nothing mindset infused their dancing, giving it more soul, more passion, and making it easier for the audience to connect with...

You could see as much from the deafening screams and applause in the venue, loud enough to practically blow the roof off the studio.

Chen Jie, standing onstage, looked even worse. He had never expected Sugar Juice Duo to be this good at street dance. Every move they had just performed had been highly technical, without a trace of showmanship or filler. With foundations like that, forget him—even Lin Zhaoran and Song Lijia might not have been able to beat them...

Chen Jie now found himself in an awkward position, like riding a tiger he could not get off. But with things having reached this point, he had no room to back down. He could only step forward and begin dancing as the music played again. Yet Chen Jie had taken a mental blow, and it inevitably showed in his dancing. Setting technique aside, his spirit alone was nowhere near Sugar Juice Duo's resolute fierceness and murderous intensity...

To put it bluntly, he looked like an eggplant struck by frost, twisting a few reluctant times in the bitter wind. There was no passion, no exhilarating release, and the audience below broke into waves of boos. Even the three judges frowned. It was not that they all had a problem with Chen Jie; they simply felt that his mental resilience was far too weak... He was not cut out for great responsibility.

The dance battle had barely begun, and one side was already listless, practically half-giving up. The audience was left unsatisfied, their pent-up excitement with nowhere to go. Just as everyone shook their heads, two figures suddenly sprang out from backstage. With their hands braced against the floor, they spun toward the front of the stage like whirlwinds in Windmill moves, then landed in place after forward flips. One of them squatted down, leaned backward to support himself on his back, and planted his hands behind him as pillars. Then he sharply raised one leg and kicked it fiercely into the air. He repeatedly dropped and sprang back up like that before doing several backspins on the floor, then kipping up and pointing provocatively at Sugar Juice Duo.

When everyone looked closely, they saw that it was Lin Zhaoran and Song Lijia, who had just left the stage—

The two of them could not stand being left out and had come up to "battle dance" as well.

That move sent the audience's blood rushing straight to their heads. The screams and cheers doubled again. Amid the audience's shouts, Sugar Juice Duo sat on the floor with their legs spread in a V before them. Then, supporting themselves with their hands between their legs, they lifted their bodies and began spinning continuously, alternating their hand support with both hands as their center of gravity.

After performing twenty or thirty boomerangs in a row, they rose with a side turn and yielded the stage to Lin Zhaoran and Song Lijia once more.

The audience had never seen such an incredibly difficult move in Dance Miracle before. Sugar Juice Duo's crisp, clean movements, along with their sweat-soaked clothes clinging wetly to their bodies, revealed their streamlined physiques and six-pack abs. Their sexy, sunlit appearance set off another round of screams. When Lu Hengzhi wiped away sweat with one hand and flicked it aside, several lovestruck girls screamed so loudly they nearly tore their throats apart.

Lin Zhaoran and Song Lijia exchanged amused yet jealous looks at Lu Hengzhi, then began showing off their hidden trump cards.

The two knelt on one knee, stretching their other legs straight behind them and raising them high. They took deep breaths, then pushed off the floor with both hands and began spinning with their knees as the center. As the music grew more intense and stirring, they spun faster and faster. In the end, they rotated so quickly that it seemed like the audience could see afterimages with the naked eye. The cool, dazzling move once again brought screams from the crowd.

Even the judges could no longer hold back. They stood up, cupped their hands around their mouths, and screamed along. Qiao Lin started moving with the music as well. Though she did not have the same foundation as Lin Zhaoran and Song Lijia, and her skirt kept her from doing the same moves as Sugar Juice Duo onstage, her upper body kept dancing without pause while her waist twisted rapidly. She looked as though she was thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere.

The audience members below also got out of their seats and stood in the open space, dancing along with the music. Their skills could not compare to the four people onstage, but everyone was having a wonderful time. As for those audience members who could not dance at all... they devoted all their energy to screaming and applauding.

Affected by the heated atmosphere, the contestants waiting backstage could barely sit still as they craned their necks to look ahead. Some had even unconsciously begun dancing in the waiting hall. As Tang Shi spun, he happened to glance back and saw the contestants dancing through the half-open door. He kipped up, crooked a finger toward backstage, and gestured for the others to come up and dance too.

At that moment, no one cared about battling or competing anymore. This had become a feast of street dance. Anyone who loved dancing could join in. All rules and restraints could go to hell for now. Having fun was what mattered most.

Several contestants hesitantly stepped forward, only to stop when they remembered the recording rules. The staff member guarding the door received instructions from the directing team, covered his earpiece, and nodded. Then he simply threw open the doors between the waiting hall and the stage, spreading his hands to indicate that all the contestants could come onstage and dance.

In an instant, all the contestants danced their way onto the stage. The judges and audience members followed as well. Under dazzling lights and explosive music, everyone moved together, releasing their passion and love for dance. They were all wildly immersed in the charm of dancing, forgetting their identities, forgetting their barriers, forgetting all their previous grudges and suspicions.

At this very moment, they had only one identity: dancers.

The joyful, carnival-like mood swept through the entire studio. Everyone was happy, except for one person—

Chen Jie, still standing blankly in a corner of the stage. He had no way to blend into the celebratory atmosphere. It was the blazing heat of midsummer, and the atmosphere was scorching, yet Chen Jie's face had gone pale and ashen.

He knew that this time, he was truly finished.

Chapter 31

The Southern Division's top ten Qualifier Round for Dance Miracle came to a cheerful, perfect conclusion amid all kinds of surprises and unexpected turns. The real-time ratings that day not only surpassed every other program airing at the same time, but even broke the national ratings record for the year, reaching a new peak. The television station was extremely satisfied with such results. After recording ended, the directing team kept the staff and all contestants involved in the show for a celebratory dinner. The lively gathering did not break up until after two in the morning.

Tang Shi and the others got up rather late the next day. They were woken by the noisy clattering and commotion outside.

Still groggy, Tang Shi climbed out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he opened the dorm room door. At a glance, he saw groups of people outside carrying luggage—some familiar, some unfamiliar. They were all contestants from various regions who had advanced into the top ten.

Tang Shi suddenly remembered that the production team had said contestants advancing to the national competition would have their food and lodging arranged for them. He had not expected them to arrive today.

When the door opened, the contestants standing in the hallway all turned to look over.

Noticing their curious gazes, Tang Shi waved and greeted them. The person across from him took the opportunity to strike up a conversation. "Hey, you're from Sugar Juice Duo, right? I've watched you dance. I didn't expect you two to look even more handsome in person than on camera."

After a pause, he added, "Especially that dance battle last night. You were seriously amazing."

Tang Shi smiled. "Thanks for the compliment. You must be a contestant from the Capital Division, right? Your accent sounds like you're from the capital."

In fact, Tang Shi vaguely remembered this person as well.

"Right, I'm from the capital. My name is Luo Jinfeng, and I'm nineteen." Luo Jinfeng held out his hand to Tang Shi with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Tang Shi reached out with both hands and shook his. "I'm Tang Shi. Come hang out in our dorm when you have time."

Luo Jinfeng poked his head forward to glance behind Tang Shi, then replied, "Sure. I'll put my luggage back in my dorm first, then I'll come find you guys later."

Just then, Brother Chen, who was in charge of arranging the contestants' accommodations, came over and said to Tang Shi, "You should get yourselves ready too. Gather in the studio later. There's something to announce."

Tang Shi nodded at Brother Chen. "All right, got it."

By the time Tang Shi and the other three had washed up, gotten dressed, and arrived at the cafeteria, most of the contestants had come down one after another as well. It was around eleven in the morning by then, long past breakfast time. As usual, Tang Shi went to the back kitchen, picked out several homestyle dishes suited to his taste, and helped himself. He also watched with delight as a group of contestants from the Capital Division ate the unfamiliar local dishes with deeply conflicted expressions.

Unexpectedly, Luo Jinfeng, whom he had met that morning, was very outgoing. He carried his tray over, sniffed the air, and said, "Is that kung pao chicken and stir-fried pork? Smells great."

Tang Shi laughed. "You're not used to the local food here, are you? I couldn't get used to it at first either, so I had to fend for myself."

Luo Jinfeng gave a foolish little nod, his eyes still fixed on the two dishes.

Lu Hengzhi gave Luo Jinfeng a sympathetic look and said, "Sit down and eat with us."

Luo Jinfeng happily agreed, set down his tray, and sat beside them. He glanced back in the direction he had come from, then turned around and said awkwardly, "Um... can I call someone else over too? He's from our Capital Division as well. We used to share a dorm."

Everyone instinctively looked at Luo Jinfeng. Under their scrutiny, he scratched his head sheepishly and revealed a grin that said, You know what I mean.

This time, Tang Shi and Lu Hengzhi did not answer. Instead, they looked questioningly at Lin Zhaoran and Song Lijia beside them. The two immediately said, "Then bring him over. One more person makes the meal livelier."

Before Lin Zhaoran had even finished speaking, Luo Jinfeng readily agreed. Then he turned around and called toward the back, "Ming He, come over here."

At Luo Jinfeng's call, a tall young man carrying a tray walked over. When Tang Shi saw his face clearly, he could not help frowning inwardly—